ARTICLE 16. California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program [399.11. - 399.33.]

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC 16.
in effect

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.11. Section 399.11.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) In order to attain a target of generating 20 percent of total retail sales of electricity in California from eligible renewable energy resources by December 31, 2013, 33 percent by December 31, 2020, 50 percent by December 31, 2026, and 60 percent by December 31, 2030, it is the intent of the Legislature that the commission and the Energy Commission implement the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program described in this article. (b) Achieving the renewables portfolio standard through the procurement of various electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources is intended to provide unique benefits to California, including all of the following, each of which independently justifies the program: (1) Displacing fossil fuel consumption within the state. (2) Adding new electrical generating facilities in the transmission network within the WECC service area. (3) Reducing air pollution, particularly criteria pollutant emissions and toxic air contaminants, in the state. (4) Meeting the state’s climate change goals by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases associated with electrical generation. (5) Promoting stable retail rates for electric service. (6) Meeting the state’s need for a diversified and balanced energy generation portfolio. (7) Assisting with meeting the state’s resource adequacy requirements. (8) Contributing to the safe and reliable operation of the electrical grid, including providing predictable electrical supply, voltage support, lower line losses, and congestion relief. (9) Implementing the state’s transmission and land use planning activities related to development of eligible renewable energy resources. (c) The California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program is intended to complement the Renewable Energy Resources Program administered by the Energy Commission and established pursuant to Chapter 8.6 (commencing with Section 25740) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code. (d) New and modified electric transmission facilities may be necessary to facilitate the state achieving its renewables portfolio standard targets. (e) (1) Supplying electricity to California end-use customers that is generated by eligible renewable energy resources is necessary to improve California’s air quality and public health, particularly in disadvantaged communities identified pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, and the commission shall ensure rates are just and reasonable, and are not significantly affected by the procurement requirements of this article. This electricity may be generated anywhere in the interconnected grid that includes many states, and areas of both Canada and Mexico. (2) This article requires generating resources located outside of California that are able to supply that electricity to California end-use customers to be treated identically to generating resources located within the state, without discrimination. (3) California electrical corporations have already executed, and the commission has approved, power purchase agreements with eligible renewable energy resources located outside of California that will supply electricity to California end-use customers. These resources will fully count toward meeting the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.12. Section 399.12.

For purposes of this article, the following terms have the following meanings: (a) “Conduit hydroelectric facility” means a facility for the generation of electricity that uses only the hydroelectric potential of an existing pipe, ditch, flume, siphon, tunnel, canal, or other manmade conduit that is operated to distribute water for a beneficial use. (b) “Balancing authority” means the responsible entity that integrates resource plans ahead of time, maintains load-interchange generation balance within a balancing authority area, and supports interconnection frequency in real time. (c) “Balancing authority area” means the collection of generation, transmission, and loads within the metered boundaries of the area within which the balancing authority maintains the electrical load-resource balance. (d) “California balancing authority” is a balancing authority with control over a balancing authority area primarily located in this state and operating for retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities subject to the requirements of this article and includes the Independent System Operator (ISO) and a local publicly owned electric utility operating a transmission grid that is not under the operational control of the ISO. A California balancing authority is responsible for the operation of the transmission grid within its metered boundaries which is not limited by the political boundaries of the State of California. (e) “Eligible renewable energy resource” means an electrical generating facility that meets the definition of a “renewable electrical generation facility” in Section 25741 of the Public Resources Code, subject to the following: (1) (A) An existing small hydroelectric generation facility of 30 megawatts or less shall be eligible only if a retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility procured the electricity from the facility as of December 31, 2005. A new hydroelectric facility that commences generation of electricity after December 31, 2005, is not an eligible renewable energy resource if it will cause an adverse impact on instream beneficial uses or cause a change in the volume or timing of streamflow. (B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), a conduit hydroelectric facility of 30 megawatts or less that commenced operation before January 1, 2006, is an eligible renewable energy resource. A conduit hydroelectric facility of 30 megawatts or less that commences operation after December 31, 2005, is an eligible renewable energy resource so long as it does not cause an adverse impact on instream beneficial uses or cause a change in the volume or timing of streamflow. (C) A facility approved by the governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility prior to June 1, 2010, for procurement to satisfy renewable energy procurement obligations adopted pursuant to former Section 387, shall be certified as an eligible renewable energy resource by the Energy Commission pursuant to this article, if the facility is a “renewable electrical generation facility” as defined in Section 25741 of the Public Resources Code. (D) (i) A small hydroelectric generation unit with a nameplate capacity not exceeding 40 megawatts that is operated as part of a water supply or conveyance system is an eligible renewable energy resource only for the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility that procured the electricity from the unit as of December 31, 2005. No unit shall be eligible pursuant to this subparagraph if an application for certification is submitted to the Energy Commission after January 1, 2013. Only one retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility shall be deemed to have procured electricity from a given unit as of December 31, 2005. (ii) Notwithstanding clause (i), a local publicly owned electric utility that meets the criteria of subdivision (j) of Section 399.30 may sell to another local publicly owned electric utility electricity from small hydroelectric generation units that qualify as eligible renewable energy resources under clause (i), and that electricity may be used by the local publicly owned electric utility that purchased the electricity to meet its renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements. The total of all those sales from the utility shall be no greater than 100,000 megawatthours of electricity. (iii) The amendments made to this subdivision by the act adding this subparagraph are intended to clarify existing law and apply from December 10, 2011. (2) (A) A facility engaged in the combustion of municipal solid waste shall not be considered an eligible renewable energy resource. (B) Subparagraph (A) does not apply to generation before January 1, 2017, from a facility located in Stanislaus County that was operational prior to September 26, 1996. (f) “Procure” means to acquire through ownership or contract. (g) “Procurement entity” means any person or corporation authorized by the commission to enter into contracts to procure eligible renewable energy resources on behalf of customers of a retail seller pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 399.13. (h) (1) “Renewable energy credit” means a certificate of proof associated with the generation of electricity from an eligible renewable energy resource, issued through the accounting system established by the Energy Commission pursuant to Section 399.25, that one unit of electricity was generated and delivered by an eligible renewable energy resource. (2) “Renewable energy credit” includes all renewable and environmental attributes associated with the production of electricity from the eligible renewable energy resource, except for an emissions reduction credit issued pursuant to Section 40709 of the Health and Safety Code and any credits or payments associated with the reduction of solid waste and treatment benefits created by the utilization of biomass or biogas fuels. (3) (A) Electricity generated by an eligible renewable energy resource attributable to the use of nonrenewable fuels, beyond a de minimis quantity used to generate electricity in the same process through which the facility converts renewable fuel to electricity, shall not result in the creation of a renewable energy credit. The Energy Commission shall set the de minimis quantity of nonrenewable fuels for each renewable energy technology at a level of no more than 2 percent of the total quantity of fuel used by the technology to generate electricity. The Energy Commission may adjust the de minimis quantity for an individual facility, up to a maximum of 5 percent, if it finds that all of the following conditions are met: (i) The facility demonstrates that the higher quantity of nonrenewable fuel will lead to an increase in generation from the eligible renewable energy facility that is significantly greater than generation from the nonrenewable fuel alone. (ii) The facility demonstrates that the higher quantity of nonrenewable fuels will reduce the variability of its electrical output in a manner that results in net environmental benefits to the state. (iii) The higher quantity of nonrenewable fuel is limited to either natural gas or hydrogen derived by reformation of a fossil fuel. (B) Electricity generated by a small hydroelectric generation facility shall not result in the creation of a renewable energy credit unless the facility meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) or (D) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). (C) Electricity generated by a conduit hydroelectric generation facility shall not result in the creation of a renewable energy credit unless the facility meets the requirements of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e). (D) Electricity generated by a facility engaged in the combustion of municipal solid waste shall not result in the creation of a renewable energy credit. This subparagraph does not apply to renewable energy credits that were generated before January 1, 2017, by a facility engaged in the combustion of municipal solid waste located in Stanislaus County that was operational prior to September 26, 1996, and sold pursuant to contacts entered into before January 1, 2017. (i) “Renewables portfolio standard” means the specified percentage of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources that a retail seller or a local publicly owned electric utility is required to procure pursuant to this article. (j) “Retail seller” means an entity engaged in the retail sale of electricity to end-use customers located within the state, including any of the following: (1) An electrical corporation, as defined in Section 218. (2) A community choice aggregator. A community choice aggregator shall participate in the renewables portfolio standard program subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to an electrical corporation. (3) An electric service provider, as defined in Section 218.3. The electric service provider shall be subject to the same terms and conditions applicable to an electrical corporation pursuant to this article. This paragraph does not impair a contract entered into between an electric service provider and a retail customer prior to the suspension of direct access by the commission pursuant to Section 80110 of the Water Code. (4) “Retail seller” does not include any of the following: (A) A corporation or person employing cogeneration technology or producing electricity consistent with subdivision (b) of Section 218. (B) The Department of Water Resources acting in its capacity pursuant to Division 27 (commencing with Section 80000) of the Water Code. (C) A local publicly owned electric utility. (k) “WECC” means the Western Electricity Coordinating Council of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, or a successor to the corporation.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.12.5. Section 399.12.5.

(a) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 399.12, a small hydroelectric generation facility that satisfies the criteria for an eligible renewable energy resource pursuant to Section 399.12 shall not lose its eligibility if efficiency improvements undertaken after January 1, 2008, cause the generating capacity of the facility to exceed 30 megawatts, and the efficiency improvements do not result in an adverse impact on instream beneficial uses or cause a change in the volume or timing of streamflow. The entire generating capacity of the facility shall be eligible. (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 399.12, the incremental increase in the amount of electricity generated from a hydroelectric generation facility as a result of efficiency improvements at the facility, is electricity from an eligible renewable energy resource, without regard to the electrical output of the facility, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The incremental increase is the result of efficiency improvements from a retrofit that do not result in an adverse impact on instream beneficial uses or cause a change in the volume or timing of streamflow. (2) The hydroelectric generation facility meets one of the following certification mechanisms: (A) The hydroelectric generation facility has, within the immediately preceding 15 years, received certification from the State Water Resources Control Board pursuant to Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1341), or has received certification from a regional board to which the state board has delegated authority to issue certification, unless the facility is not subject to certification because there is no potential for discharge into waters of the United States. (B) If the hydroelectric facility is not located in California, the certification pursuant to Section 401 of the federal Clean Water Act (33 U.S.C. Sec. 1341) may be received from the applicable state board or agency or from a regional board to which the state board has delegated authority to issue the certification. (C) If the hydroelectric generation facility is the Rock Creek Powerhouse, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Project Number 1962, the efficiency improvements have received any necessary incremental certification from the State Water Resources Control Board. (3) The hydroelectric generation facility is owned by a retail seller or a local publicly owned electric utility, was operational prior to January 1, 2007, the efficiency improvements are initiated on or after January 1, 2008, the efficiency improvements are not the result of routine maintenance activities, as determined by the Energy Commission, and the efficiency improvements were not included in any resource plan sponsored by the facility owner prior to January 1, 2008. (4) All of the incremental increase in electricity resulting from the efficiency improvements are demonstrated to result from a long-term financial commitment by the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility. For purposes of this paragraph, “long-term financial commitment” means either new ownership investment in the facility by the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility or a new or renewed contract with a term of 10 or more years, which includes procurement of the incremental generation. (c) The incremental increase in the amount of electricity generated from a hydroelectric generation facility as a result of efficiency improvements at the facility are not eligible for supplemental energy payments pursuant to the Renewable Energy Resources Program (Chapter 8.6 (commencing with Section 25740) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code), or a successor program. (d) Notwithstanding subdivision (e) of Section 399.12 and subdivisions (a) and (b), a hydroelectric generation facility that is an eligible renewable energy resource pursuant to this article as of January 1, 2010, shall not lose its eligibility if the facility causes a change in the volume or timing of streamflow required by license conditions approved pursuant to the Federal Power Act (Chapter 12 (commencing with Section 791a) of Title 16 of the United States Code) on or after January 1, 2010.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.12.6. Section 399.12.6.

(a) (1) Any procurement of biomethane delivered through a common carrier pipeline under a contract executed by a retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility and reported to the Energy Commission prior to March 29, 2012, and otherwise eligible under the rules in place as of the date of contract execution shall count toward the procurement requirements established in this article, under the rules in place at the time the contract was executed, including the Fourth Edition of the Energy Commission’s Renewables Portfolio Standard Eligibility Guidebook, provided that those rules shall apply only to sources that are producing biomethane and injecting it into a common carrier pipeline on or before April 1, 2014. (2) The eligibility requirements of subdivision (b) shall apply beginning March 29, 2012, to any quantities of biomethane associated with any of the following: (A) An extension of the term of the original contract. (B) Any quantity of biomethane that exceeds the quantities of biomethane specified in the original contract. (C) Any optional quantities of biomethane that can be exercised at the discretion of the buyer. (D) Any change in the source or sources of biomethane identified in the original contract or the original application for certification submitted to the Energy Commission. (E) Any quantity of biomethane from a source not producing and capturing biomethane and injecting it into a common carrier pipeline on or before April 1, 2014. (F) The conditions of this paragraph shall apply beginning March 29, 2012. (b) For contracts initially executed on or after March 29, 2012, or for quantities of biomethane associated with contract amendments executed on or after March 29, 2012, the use of biomethane by a generating facility shall not qualify as an eligible renewable energy resource unless it satisfies all applicable requirements established by the Energy Commission and meets any of the following requirements: (1) The biomethane is used by an onsite generating facility. (2) The biomethane is used by an offsite generating facility and delivered to the generating facility through a dedicated pipeline. (3) The biomethane is delivered to a generating facility through a common carrier pipeline and meets all of the following requirements: (A) The source of biomethane injects the biomethane into a common carrier pipeline that physically flows within California or toward the generating facility for which the biomethane was procured under the original contract. (B) The source of biomethane did not inject biomethane into a common carrier pipeline prior to March 29, 2012, or the source commenced injection of sufficient incremental quantities of biomethane after March 29, 2012, to satisfy the contract requirements. (C) The seller or purchaser of the biomethane demonstrates that the capture and injection of biomethane into a common carrier pipeline directly results in at least one of the following environmental benefits to California: (i) The reduction or avoidance of the emission of any criteria air pollutant in California. (ii) The reduction or avoidance of pollutants that could have an adverse impact on waters of the state. (iii) The alleviation of a local nuisance within California that is associated with the emission of odors. (c) For all electricity products generated using biomethane that are credited toward the renewables portfolio standard procurement obligations established pursuant to this article, sufficient renewable and environmental attributes of biomethane production and capture shall be transferred to the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility that uses that biomethane to ensure that there are zero net emissions associated with the production of electricity from the generating facility using the biomethane. The provisions of this subdivision shall be applied in a manner consistent with the definition of “green attributes” as specified by the commission in Decision 08-08-028, Decision on Definition and Attributes of Renewable Energy Credits for Compliance with the California Renewables Portfolio Standard (August 21, 2008), as may be modified by subsequent decision of the commission. (d) All sellers and purchasers of biomethane shall comply with a system for tracking and verifying the use of biomethane, as established by the Energy Commission, that is equivalent to the system required by subdivision (c) of Section 399.25. (e) For contracts initially executed on or after March 29, 2012, or for quantities of biomethane associated with contract amendments executed after March 29, 2012, the use of biomethane shall be assigned to the appropriate portfolio content category based on the application of the criteria in subdivision (b) of Section 399.16 to the procurement of electricity by the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility from the generating facility consuming the biomethane. (f) A retail seller, local publicly owned electric utility, or an intermediary party to a biomethane procurement contract shall not make a marketing, regulatory, or retail claim that asserts that a biomethane procurement contract to which that entity was a party resulted, or will result, in greenhouse gas reductions related to the destruction of methane if the capture and destruction is required by law. If the capture and destruction of the biomethane is not required by law, a retail seller, local publicly owned electric utility, or an intermediary party to a biomethane procurement contract shall not make a marketing, regulatory, or retail claim that asserts that a biomethane procurement contract to which that entity was a party resulted, or will result, in greenhouse gas reductions related to the destruction of methane, unless the environmental attributes associated with the capture and destruction of the biomethane pursuant to that contract are transferred to the retail seller or publicly owned electric utility that purchased that biomethane and retired on behalf of the retail customers consuming the electricity associated with the use of that biomethane, or unless the biomethane procurement contract prohibits the source of biomethane from separately marketing the environmental attributes associated with the capture and destruction of the biomethane sold pursuant to that contract. These attributes shall be retired and may not be resold. (g) For the purposes of this section, “biomethane” means landfill gas or digester gas, consistent with Section 25741 of the Public Resources Code. (h) If any provision of this section or the application of any provision of this section is held invalid, biomethane delivered through a common carrier pipeline pursuant to a contract executed within 180 days of, or at any time subsequent to, the invalidation of that provision shall not qualify as an eligible renewable energy resource.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.13. Section 399.13.

(a) (1) The commission shall direct each electrical corporation to annually prepare a renewable energy procurement plan that includes the elements specified in paragraph (6), to satisfy its obligations under the renewables portfolio standard. To the extent feasible, this procurement plan shall be proposed, reviewed, and adopted by the commission as part of, and pursuant to, a general procurement plan process. The commission shall require each electrical corporation to review and update its renewable energy procurement plan as it determines to be necessary. The commission shall require all other retail sellers to prepare and submit renewable energy procurement plans that address the requirements identified in paragraph (6). (2) (A) Every electrical corporation that owns electrical transmission facilities shall annually prepare, as part of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Order 890 process, and submit to the commission, a report identifying any electrical transmission facility, upgrade, or enhancement that is reasonably necessary to achieve the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements of this article. Each report shall look forward at least five years and, to ensure that adequate investments are made in a timely manner, shall include a preliminary schedule when an application for a certificate of public convenience and necessity will be made, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1001), for any electrical transmission facility identified as being reasonably necessary to achieve the renewable energy resources procurement requirements of this article. Each electrical corporation that owns electrical transmission facilities shall ensure that project-specific interconnection studies are completed in a timely manner. (B) Each electrical corporation that owns electrical transmission facilities shall annually prepare, and submit to the commission, a report on any changes to previously reported in-service dates of transmission and interconnection facilities necessary to provide transmission deliverability to eligible renewable energy resources or energy storage resources that have executed interconnection agreements. The report shall be provided concurrently with each electrical corporation’s annual renewable energy procurement plan and identify the reason for any changes to the status of in-service dates. (3) The commission shall direct each retail seller to prepare and submit an annual compliance report that includes all of the following: (A) The current status and progress made during the prior year toward procurement of eligible renewable energy resources as a percentage of retail sales, including, if applicable, the status of any necessary siting and permitting approvals from federal, state, and local agencies for those eligible renewable energy resources procured by the retail seller, and the current status of compliance with the portfolio content requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 399.16, including procurement of eligible renewable energy resources located outside the state and within the WECC and unbundled renewable energy credits. (B) If the retail seller is an electrical corporation, the current status and progress made during the prior year toward construction of, and upgrades to, transmission and distribution facilities and other electrical system components it owns to interconnect eligible renewable energy resources and to supply the electricity generated by those resources to load, including the status of planning, siting, and permitting transmission facilities by federal, state, and local agencies. (C) Recommendations to remove impediments to making progress toward achieving the renewable energy resources procurement requirements established pursuant to this article. (4) The commission shall review each annual compliance report filed by a retail seller. The commission shall notify a retail seller if the commission has determined, based upon its review, that the retail seller may be at risk of not satisfying the renewable energy procurement requirements for the then-current or a future compliance period and shall provide recommendations in that circumstance regarding satisfying those requirements. (5) The commission shall adopt, by rulemaking, all of the following: (A) A process that provides criteria for the rank ordering and selection of least-cost and best-fit eligible renewable energy resources to comply with the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program obligations on a total cost and best-fit basis. This process shall take into account all of the following: (i) Estimates of indirect costs associated with needed transmission investments. (ii) The cost impact of procuring the eligible renewable energy resources on the electrical corporation’s electricity portfolio. (iii) The viability of the project to construct and reliably operate the eligible renewable energy resource, including the developer’s experience, the feasibility of the technology used to generate electricity, and the risk that the facility will not be built, or that construction will be delayed, with the result that electricity will not be supplied as required by the contract. (iv) Workforce recruitment, training, and retention efforts, including the employment growth associated with the construction and operation of eligible renewable energy resources and goals for recruitment and training of women, minorities, and disabled veterans. (v) (I) Estimates of electrical corporation expenses resulting from integrating and operating eligible renewable energy resources, including, but not limited to, any additional wholesale energy and capacity costs associated with integrating each eligible renewable resource. (II) No later than December 31, 2015, the commission shall approve a methodology for determining the integration costs described in subclause (I). (vi) Consideration of any statewide greenhouse gas emissions limit established pursuant to the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Division 25.5 (commencing with Section 38500) of the Health and Safety Code). (vii) Consideration of capacity and system reliability of the eligible renewable energy resource to ensure grid reliability. (B) Rules permitting retail sellers to accumulate, beginning January 1, 2011, excess procurement in one compliance period to be applied to any subsequent compliance period. The rules shall apply equally to all retail sellers. In determining the quantity of excess procurement for the applicable compliance period, the commission shall retain the rules adopted by the commission and in effect as of January 1, 2015, for the compliance period specified in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. For any subsequent compliance period, the rules shall allow the following: (i) For electricity products meeting the portfolio content requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.16, contracts of any duration may count as excess procurement. (ii) Electricity products meeting the portfolio content requirements of paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.16 shall not be counted as excess procurement. Contracts of any duration for electricity products meeting the portfolio content requirements of paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.16 that are credited towards a compliance period shall not be deducted from a retail seller’s procurement for purposes of calculating excess procurement. (iii) If a retail seller notifies the commission that it will comply with the provisions of subdivision (b) for the compliance period beginning January 1, 2017, the provisions of clauses (i) and (ii) shall take effect for that retail seller for that compliance period. (C) Standard terms and conditions to be used by all electrical corporations in contracting for eligible renewable energy resources, including performance requirements for renewable generators. A contract for the purchase of electricity generated by an eligible renewable energy resource, at a minimum, shall include the renewable energy credits associated with all electricity generation specified under the contract. The standard terms and conditions shall include the requirement that, no later than six months after the commission’s approval of an electricity purchase agreement entered into pursuant to this article, the following information about the agreement shall be disclosed by the commission: party names, resource type, project location, and project capacity. (D) An appropriate minimum margin of procurement above the minimum procurement level necessary to comply with the renewables portfolio standard to mitigate the risk that renewable projects planned or under contract are delayed or canceled. This paragraph does not preclude an electrical corporation from voluntarily proposing a margin of procurement above the appropriate minimum margin established by the commission. (6) Consistent with the goal of increasing California’s reliance on eligible renewable energy resources, the renewable energy procurement plan shall include all of the following: (A) An assessment of annual or multiyear portfolio supplies and demand to determine the optimal mix of eligible renewable energy resources with deliverability characteristics that may include peaking, dispatchable, baseload, firm, and as-available capacity. (B) Potential compliance delays related to the conditions described in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. (C) A bid solicitation setting forth the need for eligible renewable energy resources of each deliverability characteristic, required online dates, and locational preferences, if any. (D) A status update on the development schedule of all eligible renewable energy resources currently under contract. (E) Consideration of mechanisms for price adjustments associated with the costs of key components for eligible renewable energy resource projects with online dates more than 24 months after the date of contract execution. (F) An assessment of the risk that an eligible renewable energy resource will not be built, or that construction will be delayed, with the result that electricity will not be delivered as required by the contract. (7) In soliciting and procuring eligible renewable energy resources, each electrical corporation shall offer contracts of no less than 10 years duration, unless the commission approves of a contract of shorter duration. (8) (A) In soliciting and procuring eligible renewable energy resources for California-based projects, each electrical corporation shall give preference to renewable energy projects that provide environmental and economic benefits to communities afflicted with poverty or high unemployment, or that suffer from high emission levels of toxic air contaminants, criteria air pollutants, and greenhouse gases. (B) Subparagraph (A) applies to all procurement of eligible renewable energy resources for California-based projects, whether the procurement occurs through all-source requests for offers, eligible renewable resources only requests for offers, or other procurement mechanisms. This subparagraph is declaratory of existing law. (9) In soliciting and procuring eligible renewable energy resources, each retail seller shall consider the best-fit attributes of resource types that ensure a balanced resource mix to maintain the reliability of the electrical grid. (b) (1) A retail seller may enter into a combination of long- and short-term contracts for electricity and associated renewable energy credits. Beginning January 1, 2021, at least 65 percent of the procurement a retail seller counts toward the renewables portfolio standard requirement of each compliance period shall be from its contracts of 10 years or more in duration or in its ownership or ownership agreements for eligible renewable energy resources. (2) In demonstrating compliance with paragraph (1), a retail seller may rely on contracts of 10 years or more in duration or ownership agreements entered into before January 1, 2019, directly by its direct access, as described in Section 365.1, nonprofit educational institution end-use customer for eligible renewable energy resources located in front of the customer meter to satisfy the portion of the compliance requirement attributable to the retail sales to that end-use customer. A retail seller shall furnish to the commission documentation deemed necessary by the commission to verify compliance with this paragraph. (c) The commission shall review and accept, modify, or reject each electrical corporation’s renewable energy resource procurement plan prior to the commencement of renewable energy procurement pursuant to this article by an electrical corporation. The commission shall assess adherence to the approved renewable energy resource procurement plans in determining compliance with the obligations of this article. (d) Unless previously preapproved by the commission, an electrical corporation shall submit a contract for the generation of an eligible renewable energy resource to the commission for review and approval consistent with an approved renewable energy resource procurement plan. If the commission determines that the bid prices are elevated due to a lack of effective competition among the bidders, the commission shall direct the electrical corporation to renegotiate the contracts or conduct a new solicitation. (e) If an electrical corporation fails to comply with a commission order adopting a renewable energy resource procurement plan, the commission shall exercise its authority to require compliance. (f) (1) The commission may authorize a procurement entity to enter into contracts on behalf of customers of a retail seller for electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources to satisfy the retail seller’s renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements. The commission shall not require any person or corporation to act as a procurement entity or require any party to purchase eligible renewable energy resources from a procurement entity. (2) Subject to review and approval by the commission, the procurement entity shall be permitted to recover reasonable administrative and procurement costs through the retail rates of end-use customers that are served by the procurement entity and are directly benefiting from the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources. (g) Procurement and administrative costs associated with contracts entered into by an electrical corporation for eligible renewable energy resources pursuant to this article and approved by the commission are reasonable and prudent and shall be recoverable in rates.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.14. Section 399.14.

(a) (1) An electrical corporation, pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 1001), and in order to meet its unmet renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, may apply to the commission for approval to construct, own, and operate an eligible renewable energy resource. (2) If the proposed eligible renewable energy resource complies with the requirements of subdivision (b), the commission shall approve an application filed pursuant to paragraph (1), until the commission has approved applications for eligible renewable energy resources for the electrical corporation that, when constructed and operating, will provide 8.25 percent of the electrical corporation’s anticipated retail sales by December 31, 2020, and thereafter. (3) The commission may approve additional applications for eligible renewable energy resources once the commission has approved sufficient applications for eligible renewable energy resources for the electrical corporation that, when constructed and operating, will provide 8.25 percent of the electrical corporation’s anticipated retail sales by December 31, 2020, and thereafter. (b) The commission shall not approve any application by an electrical corporation pursuant to subdivision (a) unless both of the following conditions are met: (1) The eligible renewable energy resource utilizes a viable technology at a reasonable cost. (2) The eligible renewable energy resource provides comparable or superior value to ratepayers when compared to then recent contracts for generation provided by eligible renewable energy resources. (c) In approving any application by an electrical corporation for approval to construct, own, and operate an eligible renewable energy resource, the commission shall apply traditional cost-of-service ratemaking. When applying traditional cost-of-service ratemaking, the commission, in the certificate authorizing the new construction, shall specify the maximum cost determined to be reasonable and prudent for the construction of the facility and the cost of initial operation of the facility. Upon a filing by the electrical corporation, the commission may authorize an increase in the maximum cost of construction if it determines that the cost has in fact increased, that the cost increase is determined to be reasonable and prudent, and that the present or future public convenience or necessity require construction of the project at the increased cost.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.15. Section 399.15.

(a) In order to fulfill unmet long-term resource needs, the commission shall establish a renewables portfolio standard requiring all retail sellers to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to their retail end-use customers each compliance period to achieve the targets established under this article. For any retail seller procuring at least 14 percent of retail sales from eligible renewable energy resources in 2010, the deficits associated with any previous renewables portfolio standard shall not be added to any procurement requirement pursuant to this article. (b) The commission shall implement renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements only as follows: (1) Each retail seller shall procure a minimum quantity of eligible renewable energy resources for each of the following compliance periods: (A) January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive. (B) January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, inclusive. (C) January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020, inclusive. (D) January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2024, inclusive. (E) January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027, inclusive. (F) January 1, 2028, to December 31, 2030, inclusive. (2) (A) No later than January 1, 2017, the commission shall establish the quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources to be procured by the retail seller for each compliance period. These quantities shall be established in the same manner for all retail sellers and result in the same percentages used to establish compliance period quantities for all retail sellers. (B) In establishing quantities for the compliance period from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive, the commission shall require procurement for each retail seller equal to an average of 20 percent of retail sales. For the following compliance periods, the quantities shall reflect reasonable progress in each of the intervening years sufficient to ensure that the procurement of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources achieves 25 percent of retail sales by December 31, 2016, 33 percent by December 31, 2020, 44 percent by December 31, 2024, 52 percent by December 31, 2027, and 60 percent by December 31, 2030. The commission shall establish appropriate three-year compliance periods for all subsequent years that require retail sellers to procure not less than 60 percent of retail sales of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources. (C) Retail sellers shall be obligated to procure no less than the quantities associated with all intervening years by the end of each compliance period. Retail sellers shall not be required to demonstrate a specific quantity of procurement for any individual intervening year. (3) The commission may require the procurement of eligible renewable energy resources in excess of the quantities specified in paragraph (2). (4) Only for purposes of establishing the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements of paragraph (1) and determining the quantities pursuant to paragraph (2), the commission shall include all electricity sold to retail customers by the Department of Water Resources pursuant to Division 27 (commencing with Section 80000) of the Water Code in the calculation of retail sales by an electrical corporation. (5) The commission shall waive enforcement of this section if it finds that the retail seller has demonstrated any of the following conditions are beyond the control of the retail seller and will prevent compliance: (A) There is inadequate transmission capacity to allow for sufficient electricity to be delivered from proposed eligible renewable energy resource projects using the current operational protocols of the Independent System Operator. In making its findings relative to the existence of this condition with respect to a retail seller that owns transmission lines, the commission shall consider both of the following: (i) Whether the retail seller has undertaken, in a timely fashion, reasonable measures under its control and consistent with its obligations under local, state, and federal laws and regulations, to develop and construct new transmission lines or upgrades to existing lines intended to transmit electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources. In determining the reasonableness of a retail seller’s actions, the commission shall consider the retail seller’s expectations for full-cost recovery for these transmission lines and upgrades. (ii) Whether the retail seller has taken all reasonable operational measures to maximize cost-effective deliveries of electricity from eligible renewable energy resources in advance of transmission availability. (B) Permitting, interconnection, or other circumstances that delay procured eligible renewable energy resource projects, or there is an insufficient supply of eligible renewable energy resources available to the retail seller. In making a finding that this condition prevents timely compliance, the commission shall consider whether the retail seller has done all of the following: (i) Prudently managed portfolio risks, including relying on a sufficient number of viable projects. (ii) Sought to develop one of the following: its own eligible renewable energy resources, transmission to interconnect to eligible renewable energy resources, or energy storage used to integrate eligible renewable energy resources. This clause shall not require an electrical corporation to pursue development of eligible renewable energy resources pursuant to Section 399.14. (iii) Procured an appropriate minimum margin of procurement above the minimum procurement level necessary to comply with the renewables portfolio standard to compensate for foreseeable delays or insufficient supply. (iv) Taken reasonable measures, under the control of the retail seller, to procure cost-effective distributed generation and allowable unbundled renewable energy credits. (C) Unanticipated curtailment of eligible renewable energy resources if the waiver would not result in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions. (D) Unanticipated increase in retail sales due to transportation electrification. In making a finding that this condition prevents timely compliance, the commission shall consider both of the following: (i) Whether transportation electrification significantly exceeded forecasts in that retail seller’s service territory based on the best and most recently available information filed with the State Air Resources Board, the Energy Commission, or another state agency. (ii) Whether the retail seller has taken reasonable measures to procure sufficient resources to account for unanticipated increases in retail sales due to transportation electrification. (6) If the commission waives the compliance requirements of this section, the commission shall establish additional reporting requirements on the retail seller to demonstrate that all reasonable actions under the control of the retail seller are taken in each of the intervening years sufficient to satisfy future procurement requirements. (7) The commission shall not waive enforcement pursuant to this section, unless the retail seller demonstrates that it has taken all reasonable actions under its control, as set forth in paragraph (5), to achieve full compliance. (8) If a retail seller fails to procure sufficient eligible renewable energy resources to comply with a procurement requirement pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) and fails to obtain an order from the commission waiving enforcement pursuant to paragraph (5), the commission shall assess penalties for noncompliance. A schedule of penalties shall be adopted by the commission that shall be comparable for electrical corporations and other retail sellers. For electrical corporations, the cost of any penalties shall not be collected in rates. Any penalties collected under this article shall be deposited into the Electric Program Investment Charge Fund and used for the purposes described in Chapter 8.1 (commencing with Section 25710) of Division 15 of the Public Resources Code. (9) Deficits associated with the compliance period shall not be added to a future compliance period. (c) The commission shall establish a limitation for each electrical corporation on the procurement expenditures for all eligible renewable energy resources used to comply with the renewables portfolio standard. This limitation shall be set at a level that prevents disproportionate rate impacts. (d) If the cost limitation for an electrical corporation is insufficient to support the projected costs of meeting the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, the electrical corporation may refrain from entering into new contracts or constructing facilities beyond the quantity that can be procured within the limitation, unless eligible renewable energy resources can be procured without exceeding a de minimis increase in rates, consistent with the long-term procurement plan established for the electrical corporation pursuant to Section 454.5. (e) (1) The commission shall monitor the status of the cost limitation for each electrical corporation in order to ensure compliance with this article. (2) If the commission determines that an electrical corporation may exceed its cost limitation prior to achieving the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements, the commission shall do both of the following within 60 days of making that determination: (A) Investigate and identify the reasons why the electrical corporation may exceed its annual cost limitation. (B) Notify the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature that the electrical corporation may exceed its cost limitation, and include the reasons why the electrical corporation may exceed its cost limitation. (f) The establishment of a renewables portfolio standard shall not constitute implementation by the commission of the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-617).

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.16. Section 399.16.

(a) Various electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources located within the WECC transmission network service area shall be eligible to comply with the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements in Section 399.15. These electricity products may be differentiated by their impacts on the operation of the grid in supplying electricity, as well as meeting the requirements of this article. (b) Consistent with the goals of procuring the least-cost and best-fit electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources that meet project viability principles adopted by the commission pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 399.13 and that provide the benefits set forth in Section 399.11, a balanced portfolio of eligible renewable energy resources shall be procured consisting of the following portfolio content categories: (1) Eligible renewable energy resource electricity products that meet either of the following criteria: (A) Have a first point of interconnection with a California balancing authority, have a first point of interconnection with distribution facilities used to serve end users within a California balancing authority area, or are scheduled from the eligible renewable energy resource into a California balancing authority without substituting electricity from another source. The use of another source to provide real-time ancillary services required to maintain an hourly or subhourly import schedule into a California balancing authority shall be permitted, but only the fraction of the schedule actually generated by the eligible renewable energy resource shall count toward this portfolio content category. (B) Have an agreement to dynamically transfer electricity to a California balancing authority. (2) Firmed and shaped eligible renewable energy resource electricity products providing incremental electricity and scheduled into a California balancing authority. (3) Eligible renewable energy resource electricity products, or any fraction of the electricity generated, including unbundled renewable energy credits, that do not qualify under the criteria of paragraph (1) or (2). (c) In order to achieve a balanced portfolio, all retail sellers shall meet the following requirements for all procurement credited toward each compliance period: (1) Not less than 50 percent for the compliance period ending December 31, 2013, 65 percent for the compliance period ending December 31, 2016, and 75 percent for each compliance period thereafter, of the eligible renewable energy resource electricity products associated with contracts executed after June 1, 2010, shall meet the product content requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b). (2) Not more than 25 percent for the compliance period ending December 31, 2013, 15 percent for the compliance period ending December 31, 2016, and 10 percent for each compliance period thereafter, of the eligible renewable energy resource electricity products associated with contracts executed after June 1, 2010, shall meet the product content requirements of paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). (3) Any renewable energy resources contracts executed on or after June 1, 2010, not subject to the limitations of paragraph (1) or (2), shall meet the product content requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b). (4) For purposes of electric service providers only, the restrictions in this subdivision on crediting eligible renewable energy resource electricity products to each compliance period shall apply to contracts executed after January 13, 2011. (d) Any contract or ownership agreement originally executed prior to June 1, 2010, shall count in full toward the procurement requirements established pursuant to this article, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The renewable energy resource was eligible under the rules in place as of the date when the contract was executed. (2) For an electrical corporation, the contract has been approved by the commission, even if that approval occurs after June 1, 2010. (3) Any contract amendments or modifications occurring after June 1, 2010, do not increase the nameplate capacity or expected quantities of annual generation, or substitute a different renewable energy resource. The duration of the contract may be extended if the original contract specified a procurement commitment of 15 or more years. (e) A retail seller may apply to the commission for a reduction of a procurement content requirement of subdivision (c). The commission may reduce a procurement content requirement of subdivision (c) to the extent the retail seller demonstrates that it cannot comply with that subdivision because of conditions beyond the control of the retail seller as provided in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. The commission shall not, under any circumstance, reduce the obligation specified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) below 65 percent for any compliance period obligation after December 31, 2016.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.16.5. Section 399.16.5.

The commission and the Energy Commission shall coordinate to revise any relevant rules, regulations, or guidance to ensure that the transition to a regional energy market governed by the Independent System Operator or the independent regional organization described in Section 345.6 does not expand the types of transactions that meet the portfolio content category requirements of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.16, as compared to the transactions that would meet those requirements on December 31, 2025.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.17. Section 399.17.

(a) (1) Subject to this section, the requirements of this article apply to an electrical corporation that as of January 1, 2010, had 60,000 or fewer customer accounts in California and met either of the following requirements: (A) Served retail end-use customers outside California. (B) Was located in a control area that is not under the operational balancing authority of the Independent System Operator or other California balancing authority and receives the majority of its electrical requirements from generating facilities located outside of California. (2) This section applies to a successor entity to all or a portion of the service territory of an electrical corporation meeting the requirements of paragraph (1), but only to the extent that the successor entity will have 60,000 or fewer customer accounts in California. (b) For an electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity meeting the requirements of subdivision (a), electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources may be used for compliance with the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements notwithstanding any procurement content limitation in Section 399.16 and an eligible renewable energy resource includes a facility that is located outside California, if the facility is connected to the WECC transmission system, provided all of the following conditions are met: (1) Any portion of the electricity generated by the facility and allocated by the electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity for its California customers, and is not used to fulfill renewable energy procurement requirements in other states. (2) The electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity participates in, and complies with, the accounting system administered by the Energy Commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 399.25. (3) The Energy Commission verifies that the electricity generated by the facility is eligible to meet the procurement requirements of this article. (c) The commission shall determine the procurement requirements for an electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold by the electrical corporation to its retail end-use customers in California in a compliance period. (d) An electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) may use an integrated resource plan prepared in compliance with the requirements of another state utility regulatory commission, to fulfill the requirement to prepare a renewable energy procurement plan pursuant to this article, provided the plan meets the requirements of Sections 399.13, 399.14, and 399.25, as modified by this section. (e) Procurement and administrative costs associated with long-term contracts for eligible renewable energy resources pursuant to this article entered into by an electrical corporation or qualifying successor entity meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) and approved by the commission, are reasonable and prudent and shall be recoverable in rates of the electrical corporation or its successor’s California customers, provided the costs are not recoverable in rates in other states served by the electrical corporation. (f) Procurement expenditures for electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources pursuant to this section by an electrical corporation or successor entity meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) shall be subject to a limitation on procurement expenditures established by the commission pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 399.15.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.18. Section 399.18.

(a) This section applies to an electrical corporation that as of January 1, 2010, met either of the following conditions: (1) Served 30,000 or fewer customer accounts in California and had issued at least four solicitations for eligible renewable energy resources prior to June 1, 2010. (2) Had 1,000 or fewer customer accounts in California and was not connected to any transmission system or to the Independent System Operator. (b) For an electrical corporation or its successor, electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources may be used for compliance with this article, notwithstanding any procurement content limitation in Section 399.16, provided that all of the following conditions are met: (1) The electrical corporation or its successor participates in, and complies with, the accounting system administered by the Energy Commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 399.25. (2) The Energy Commission verifies that the electricity generated by the facility is eligible to meet the requirements of Section 399.15. (3) The electrical corporation continues to satisfy either of the conditions described in subdivision (a).

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.19. Section 399.19.

(a) The commission shall modify, and extend until December 31, 2026, or until all available program funds are expended, whichever occurs first, the monetary incentive program for biomethane projects adopted in Decision 15-06-029 (June 11, 2015), Decision Regarding the Costs of Compliance with Decision 14-01-034 and Adoption of Biomethane Promotion Policies and Program, as follows: (1) Except for a dairy cluster biomethane project, the total available incentive limitation for a project shall be increased from one million five hundred thousand dollars ($1,500,000) to three million dollars ($3,000,000). (2) For a dairy cluster biomethane project, the total available incentive limitation shall be raised to five million dollars ($5,000,000), which may be used for interconnection costs and costs incurred for gathering lines to help reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants pursuant to Section 39730 of the Health and Safety Code. For purposes of this subdivision, a dairy cluster biomethane project means a biomethane project of three or more dairies in close proximity to one another employing multiple facilities for the capture of biogas that is transported by multiple gathering lines to a centralized processing facility where the biogas is processed to meet the biomethane standards adopted by the commission pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d), or updated pursuant to subdivision (e), of Section 25421 of the Health and Safety Code and injected into the pipeline of the gas corporation through a single interconnection. (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2027, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2027, deletes or extends that date.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.20. Section 399.20.

(a) (1) It is the policy of this state and the intent of the Legislature to encourage electrical generation from eligible renewable energy resources. (2) Paragraph (5) of subdivision (f) is appropriate because the program is a fixed-price feed-in tariff program with no pricing discretion. (3) This section does not authorize cost recovery by an entity other than an electrical corporation regulated by the commission, except for the procurement authorized in paragraph (5) of subdivision (f). (b) As used in this section, “electric generation facility” means an electric generation facility located within the service territory of an electrical corporation, and developed to sell electricity to, an electrical corporation or, for a bioenergy electric generation facility, to an electrical corporation or a community choice aggregator that provides electric service within the service territory of the electrical corporation that meets all of the following criteria: (1) Has an effective capacity of not more than three megawatts, with the exception of those facilities participating in a tariff made available pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (f). (2) Is interconnected and operates in parallel with the electrical transmission and distribution grid. (3) (A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B), is strategically located and interconnected to the electrical transmission and distribution grid in a manner that optimizes the deliverability of electricity generated at the facility to load centers. (B) For purposes of paragraph (2) of subdivision (f), is strategically located and interconnected to the electrical transmission and distribution grid in a manner that optimizes the deliverability of electricity generated at the facility to load centers or is interconnected to an existing transmission line. (4) Is an eligible renewable energy resource. (c) Every electrical corporation shall file with the commission a standard tariff for electricity purchased from an electric generation facility. The commission may modify or adjust the requirements of this section for any electrical corporation with less than 100,000 service connections, as individual circumstances merit. (d) (1) The tariff shall provide for payment for every kilowatthour of electricity purchased from an electric generation facility for a period of 10, 15, or 20 years, as authorized by the commission. The payment shall be the market price determined by the commission pursuant to paragraph (2) and shall include all current and anticipated environmental compliance costs, including, but not limited to, mitigation of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollution offsets associated with the operation of new generating facilities in the local air pollution control or air quality management district where the electric generation facility is located. (2) The commission shall establish a methodology to determine the market price of electricity for terms corresponding to the length of contracts with an electric generation facility, in consideration of the following: (A) The long-term market price of electricity for fixed price contracts, determined pursuant to an electrical corporation’s general procurement activities as authorized by the commission. (B) The long-term ownership, operating, and fixed-price fuel costs associated with fixed-price electricity from new generating facilities. (C) The value of different electricity products including baseload, peaking, and as-available electricity. (3) The commission may adjust the payment rate to reflect the value of every kilowatthour of electricity generated on a time-of-delivery basis. (4) The commission shall ensure, with respect to rates and charges, that ratepayers that do not receive service pursuant to the tariff are indifferent to whether a ratepayer with an electric generation facility receives service pursuant to the tariff. (e) An electrical corporation shall provide expedited interconnection procedures to an electric generation facility located on a distribution circuit that generates electricity at a time and in a manner so as to offset the peak demand on the distribution circuit, if the electrical corporation determines that the electric generation facility will not adversely affect the distribution grid. The commission shall consider and may establish a value for an electric generation facility located on a distribution circuit that generates electricity at a time and in a manner so as to offset the peak demand on the distribution circuit. (f) (1) An electrical corporation shall make the tariff available to the owner or operator of an electric generation facility within the service territory of the electrical corporation, upon request, on a first-come-first-served basis, until the electrical corporation meets its proportionate share of a statewide cap of 750 megawatts cumulative rated generation capacity served under this section and Section 399.32. The proportionate share shall be calculated based on the ratio of the electrical corporation’s peak demand compared to the total statewide peak demand. (2) By June 1, 2013, the commission shall, in addition to the 750 megawatts identified in paragraph (1), direct the electrical corporations to collectively procure at least 250 megawatts of cumulative rated generating capacity from developers of bioenergy projects that commence operation on or after June 1, 2013. The commission shall, for each electrical corporation, allocate shares of the additional 250 megawatts based on the ratio of each electrical corporation’s peak demand compared to the total statewide peak demand. In implementing this paragraph, the commission shall do all of the following: (A) Allocate the 250 megawatts identified in this paragraph among the electrical corporations based on the following categories: (i) For biogas from wastewater treatment, municipal organic waste diversion, food processing, and codigestion, 110 megawatts. (ii) For dairy and other agricultural bioenergy, 90 megawatts. (iii) For bioenergy using byproducts of sustainable forest management, 50 megawatts. Allocations under this category shall be determined based on the proportion of bioenergy that sustainable forest management providers derive from sustainable forest management in fire threat treatment areas, as designated by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. (B) Direct the electrical corporations to develop standard contract terms and conditions that reflect the operational characteristics of the projects, and to provide a streamlined contracting process. (C) Coordinate, to the maximum extent feasible, any incentive or subsidy programs for bioenergy with the agencies listed in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) in order to provide maximum benefits to ratepayers and to ensure that incentives are used to reduce contract prices. (D) The commission shall encourage gas and electrical corporations to develop and offer programs and services to facilitate development of in-state biogas for a broad range of purposes. (E) Direct the electrical corporations to authorize a bioenergy electric generation facility with an effective capacity of up to five megawatts to participate in the tariff made available pursuant to this paragraph, if it meets the following conditions: (i) It delivers no more than three megawatts to the grid at any time. (ii) It complies with the electrical corporation’s Electric Rule 21 tariff or other distribution access tariff. (F) Payment is made pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) and no payment is made for any electricity delivered to the grid in excess of three megawatts at any time. (3) (A) The commission, in consultation with the Energy Commission, the State Air Resources Board, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Department of Food and Agriculture, and the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, may review the allocations of the 250 additional megawatts identified in paragraph (2) to determine if those allocations are appropriate. (B) If the commission finds that the allocations of the 250 additional megawatts identified in paragraph (2) are not appropriate, the commission may reallocate the 250 megawatts among the categories established in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2). (4) (A) A project identified in clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) is eligible, in regards to interconnection, for the tariff established to implement paragraph (2) or to participate in any program or auction established to implement paragraph (2), if it meets at least one of the following requirements: (i) The project is already interconnected. (ii) The project has been found to be eligible for interconnection pursuant to the fast track process under the relevant tariff. (iii) A system impact study or other interconnection study has been completed for the project under the relevant tariff, and there was no determination in the study that, with the identified interconnection upgrades, if any, a condition specified in paragraph (2), (3), or (4) of subdivision (n) would exist. Such a project is not required to have a pending, active interconnection application to be eligible. (B) For a project meeting the eligibility requirements pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, both of the following apply: (i) The project is hereby deemed to be able to interconnect within the required time limits for the purpose of determining eligibility for the tariff. (ii) The project shall submit a new application for interconnection within 30 days of execution of a standard contract pursuant to the tariff if it does not have a pending, active interconnection application or a completed interconnection. For those projects, the time to achieve commercial operation shall begin to run from the date when the new system impact study or other interconnection study is completed rather than from the date of execution of the standard contract. (5) (A) A community choice aggregator may submit eligible bioenergy projects to the commission for cost recovery if open capacity exists within an allocation category described in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) and the community choice aggregator submits an eligible tariff to the commission consistent with both of the following: (i) The community choice aggregator files with the commission a standard tariff for electricity purchased from a bioenergy electric generation facility. (ii) (I) The tariff provides for payment for every kilowatthour of electricity purchased from a bioenergy electric generation facility for a period of 10, 15, or 20 years, as authorized by the commission. The payment shall be the market price determined by the commission pursuant to subclause (II) and shall include all current and anticipated environmental compliance costs, including, but not limited to, mitigation of emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollution offsets associated with the operation of new generating facilities in the local air pollution control or air quality management district where the bioenergy electric generation facility is located. (II) The commission shall establish a methodology to determine the market price of electricity for terms corresponding to the length of contracts with a bioenergy electric generation facility, considering those matters described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). (iii) Any capacity procured by the community choice aggregator from a bioenergy project that is approved by the commission pursuant to this paragraph shall reduce the procurement targets for that allocation category ordered by the commission for the electrical corporation whose service territory encompasses the community choice aggregator pursuant to paragraph (2), or as modified pursuant to paragraph (3). (B) Before acting pursuant to the authorization in subparagraph (A), a community choice aggregator shall develop standard contract terms and conditions that reflect the operational characteristics of the bioenergy electric generation facility and provide a streamlined contracting process. A community choice aggregator shall use the standard contract approved by the commission for use by the electrical corporation pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) to comply with this requirement, so long as all the terms and conditions of the contract are not modified by the community choice aggregator. (C) In implementing this paragraph, the commission shall do all of the following: (i) Coordinate, to the maximum extent feasible, any incentive or subsidy programs for bioenergy with the agencies listed in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) in order to provide maximum benefits to ratepayers and to ensure that incentives are used to reduce contract prices. (ii) Direct a participating community choice aggregator to authorize a bioenergy electric generation facility with an effective capacity of up to five megawatts to participate in the tariff made available pursuant to this paragraph if it meets the following conditions: (I) It delivers no more than three megawatts to the grid at any time. (II) It complies with the Electric Rule 21 tariff or other distribution access tariff of the electrical corporation whose service territory it is located in. (iii) Ensure payment is made pursuant to clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) and no payment is made for any electricity delivered to the grid in excess of three megawatts at any time. (D) The community choice aggregator may make the terms of the tariff available to owners and operators of a bioenergy electric generation facility in the form of a standard contract subject to commission approval. To comply with this requirement, the community choice aggregator may base its tariff on the electrical corporation’s approved tariff, so long as all the terms and conditions of the tariff are not modified by the community choice aggregator. (E) Every kilowatthour of electricity purchased from a bioenergy electric generation facility shall count toward meeting the community choice aggregator’s renewables portfolio standard annual procurement targets for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. (F) The physical generating capacity of a bioenergy electric generation facility shall count toward the community choice aggregator’s resource adequacy requirement for purposes of Section 380. (G) In order to ensure the safety and reliability of bioenergy electric generation facilities, the owner of a bioenergy electric generation facility receiving a tariff pursuant to this paragraph shall provide an inspection and maintenance report to the community choice aggregator at least once every other year. The inspection and maintenance report shall be prepared at the owner’s or operator’s expense by a California-licensed contractor who is not the owner or operator of the bioenergy electric generation facility. A California-licensed electrician shall perform the inspection of the electrical portion of the generation facility. (H) The contract between the bioenergy electric generation facility receiving the tariff and the community choice aggregator shall contain provisions that ensure that construction of the bioenergy electric generating facility complies with all applicable state and local laws and building standards and utility interconnection requirements. (I) Nothing in this paragraph changes the sole procurement responsibility of a community choice aggregator pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of Section 366.2. (J) The commission may modify or adjust the requirements of this paragraph for any community choice aggregator with less than 100,000 customer accounts as individual circumstances merit. (K) The commission has ongoing review authority over any contracts of community choice aggregators submitted pursuant to this section consistent with its review of the contracts of electrical corporations entered into pursuant to this section. (6) For the purposes of this subdivision, “bioenergy” means biogas and biomass. (g) The electrical corporation may make the terms of the tariff available to owners and operators of an electric generation facility in the form of a standard contract subject to commission approval. (h) Every kilowatthour of electricity purchased from an electric generation facility shall count toward meeting the electrical corporation’s renewables portfolio standard annual procurement targets for purposes of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. (i) The physical generating capacity of an electric generation facility shall count toward the electrical corporation’s resource adequacy requirement for purposes of Section 380. (j) (1) The commission shall establish performance standards for any electric generation facility that has a capacity greater than one megawatt to ensure that those facilities are constructed, operated, and maintained to generate the expected annual net production of electricity and do not impact system reliability. (2) The commission may reduce the three megawatt capacity limitation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) if the commission finds that a reduced capacity limitation is necessary to maintain system reliability within the applicable electrical corporation’s service territory. (k) (1) Any owner or operator of an electric generation facility that received ratepayer-funded incentives in accordance with Section 379.6 of this code, or with Section 25782 of the Public Resources Code, and participated in a net metering program pursuant to Sections 2827, 2827.9, and 2827.10 of this code before January 1, 2010, shall be eligible for a tariff or standard contract filed by an electrical corporation pursuant to this section. (2) In establishing the tariffs or standard contracts pursuant to this section, the commission shall consider ratepayer-funded incentive payments previously received by the generation facility pursuant to Section 379.6 of this code or Section 25782 of the Public Resources Code. The commission shall require reimbursement of any funds received from these incentive programs to an electric generation facility, in order for that facility to be eligible for a tariff or standard contract filed by an electrical corporation pursuant to this section, unless the commission determines ratepayers have received sufficient value from the incentives provided to the facility based on how long the project has been in operation and the amount of renewable electricity previously generated by the facility. (3) A customer that receives service under a tariff or contract approved by the commission pursuant to this section is not eligible to participate in any net metering program. (l) An owner or operator of an electric generation facility electing to receive service under a tariff or contract approved by the commission shall continue to receive service under the tariff or contract until either of the following occurs: (1) The owner or operator of an electric generation facility no longer meets the eligibility requirements for receiving service pursuant to the tariff or contract. (2) The period of service established by the commission pursuant to subdivision (d) is completed. (m) Within 10 days of receipt of a request for a tariff pursuant to this section from an owner or operator of an electric generation facility, the electrical corporation that receives the request shall post a copy of the request on its internet website. The information posted on the internet website shall include the name of the city in which the facility is located, but information that is proprietary and confidential, including, but not limited to, address information beyond the name of the city in which the facility is located, shall be redacted. (n) An electrical corporation may deny a tariff request pursuant to this section if the electrical corporation makes any of the following findings: (1) The electric generation facility does not meet the requirements of this section. (2) The transmission or distribution grid that would serve as the point of interconnection is inadequate. (3) The electric generation facility does not meet all applicable state and local laws and building standards and utility interconnection requirements. (4) The aggregate of all electric generating facilities on a distribution circuit would adversely impact utility operation and load restoration efforts of the distribution system. (o) Upon receiving a notice of denial from an electrical corporation, the owner or operator of the electric generation facility denied a tariff pursuant to this section shall have the right to appeal that decision to the commission. (p) In order to ensure the safety and reliability of electric generation facilities, the owner of an electric generation facility receiving a tariff pursuant to this section shall provide an inspection and maintenance report to the electrical corporation at least once every other year. The inspection and maintenance report shall be prepared at the owner’s or operator’s expense by a California-licensed contractor who is not the owner or operator of the electric generation facility. A California-licensed electrician shall perform the inspection of the electrical portion of the generation facility. (q) The contract between the electric generation facility receiving the tariff and the electrical corporation shall contain provisions that ensure that construction of the electric generating facility complies with all applicable state and local laws and building standards, and utility interconnection requirements. (r) (1) All construction and installation of facilities of the electrical corporation, including at the point of the output meter or at the transmission or distribution grid, shall be performed only by that electrical corporation. (2) All interconnection facilities installed on the electrical corporation’s side of the transfer point for electricity between the electrical corporation and the electrical conductors of the electric generation facility shall be owned, operated, and maintained only by the electrical corporation. The ownership, installation, operation, reading, and testing of revenue metering equipment for electric generating facilities shall only be performed by the electrical corporation.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.20.3. Section 399.20.3.

(a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “Bioenergy” has the same meaning as set forth in paragraph (6) of subdivision (f) of Section 399.20. (2) “Tier 1 high hazard zone” includes areas where wildlife and falling trees threaten electrical transmission and distribution lines, roads, and other evacuation corridors, critical community infrastructure, or other existing structures, as designated by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to the Proclamation of a State of Emergency on Tree Mortality declared by the Governor on October 30, 2015. (3) “Tier 2 high hazard zone” includes watersheds that have significant tree mortality combined with community and natural resource assets, as designated by the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to the Proclamation of a State of Emergency on Tree Mortality declared by the Governor on October 30, 2015. (b) (1) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (f) of Section 399.20, on or before July 1, 2025, electrical corporations shall collectively procure, through financial commitments of 5 to 15 years, inclusive, their proportionate share of 125 megawatts of cumulative rated generating capacity from existing bioenergy projects that commenced operations before June 1, 2013. At least 80 percent of the feedstock of an eligible facility, on an annual basis, shall be a byproduct of sustainable forestry management, which includes removal of dead and dying trees from Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard zones and is not that from lands that have been clear cut. At least 60 percent of this feedstock shall be from Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard zones. (2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to a utility subject to subdivision (g) if both of the following apply: (A) The utility, either directly or through a joint powers authority, entered into five-year financial commitments for its proportionate share of 125 megawatts of cumulative rated generating capacity from existing bioenergy projects pursuant to this section as it was enacted by Chapter 368 of the Statutes of 2016. (B) The utility’s financial commitments referenced in subparagraph (A) include either: (i) a contract with a facility operator that was, on June 1, 2022, in a bankruptcy or other insolvency proceeding; or (ii) a contract for a project that does not deliver energy to the utility. (c) For the purpose of contracts entered into pursuant to subdivision (b), commission Resolution E-4770 (March 17, 2016), and commission Resolution E-4805 (October 13, 2016), Tier 1 and Tier 2 high hazard zone fuel or feedstock shall also include biomass fuels removed from fuel reduction operations exempt from timber harvesting plan requirements pursuant to subdivisions (a), (f), (j), and (k) of Section 4584 of the Public Resources Code, as those subdivisions read on January 1, 2024. (d) The commission shall require an electrical corporation that has entered into a contract pursuant to subdivision (b), commission Resolution E-4770 (March 17, 2016), or commission Resolution E-4805 (October 13, 2016) to allow fuel or feedstock reporting requirements to be based on a monthly or annual basis, and a bioenergy facility providing generation pursuant to that contract shall have the right to opt out of the mandated fuel or feedstock usage levels in any particular month upon providing written notice to the electrical corporation in the month of operation. For months in which a bioenergy facility opts out of the mandated fuel or feedstock usage levels or misses the mandated fuel or feedstock targets, that facility shall be paid the alternate price adopted by the commission in commission Resolution E-4770 for all megawatthours generated during that month. Contracts shall continue in force through the end of the contracted term without creating an event of default for missing mandated fuel or feedstock usage levels and without giving rise to a termination right in favor of the electrical corporation. (e) (1) For each electrical corporation, the commission shall allocate its proportionate share of the 125 megawatts based on the ratio of the electrical corporation’s peak demand to the total statewide peak demand. (2) Procurement by an electrical corporation of generation capacity pursuant to a contract under the commission’s Resolution E-4770 (March 17, 2016) that is in excess of the requirement of that electrical corporation under that resolution shall count towards meeting the electrical corporation’s proportionate share allocated pursuant to paragraph (1). (f) The commission may direct each electrical corporation to develop standard contract terms and conditions that reflect the operational characteristics of the bioenergy projects and to provide a streamlined contracting process or may require the electrical corporations to use the mechanism established pursuant to the commission’s Resolution E-4770 (March 17, 2016) to meet the requirements of subdivision (e). The procurement pursuant to the developed standard contract shall occur on an expedited basis due to the Proclamation of a State of Emergency on Tree Mortality declared by the Governor on October 30, 2015. (g) A local publicly owned electric utility serving more than 100,000 customers shall procure its proportionate share, based on the ratio of the utility’s peak demand to the total statewide peak demand, of 125 megawatts of cumulative rated capacity from existing bioenergy projects described in subdivision (b) subject to terms of at least five years. (h) The commission shall ensure that the costs of any contract procured by an electrical corporation to satisfy the requirements of this section are recoverable from all customers on a nonbypassable basis. (i) The Procurement Review Group within the commission shall advise the commission on the cost of the generation procured pursuant to this section and its impact on ratepayers. (j) For purposes of this section, any incremental procurement of electricity products from bioenergy resources by a new contract or contract extension of five years or longer in duration shall be from a resource that meets emission limits equivalent to, or more stringent than, the applicable best available retrofit control technology, as determined by the local air pollution control district or air quality management district. The determination shall be made before the start of the operating period under the new contract or contract extension.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.20.5. Section 399.20.5.

(a) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) and paragraph (2) of subdivision (j) of Section 399.20, a conduit hydroelectric facility with an effective capacity of up to four megawatts that otherwise meets the requirements of Section 399.20 shall be eligible for the standard contract or tariff established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 399.20 if the electric generation facility meets all the following additional requirements: (1) It was operational as of January 1, 1990. (2) It delivers no more than three megawatts to the grid at any time. (3) It complies with the electrical corporation’s Electric Rule 21 tariff or other distribution access tariff. (b) A facility meeting the requirements of subdivision (a) shall receive payment pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 399.20, provided that no payment shall be made for any electricity delivered to the grid in excess of three megawatts at any time.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.21. Section 399.21.

(a) The commission, by rule, shall authorize the use of renewable energy credits to satisfy the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements established pursuant to this article, subject to the following conditions: (1) The commission and the Energy Commission shall ensure that the tracking system established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 399.25, is operational, is capable of independently verifying that electricity earning the credit is generated by an eligible renewable energy resource, and can ensure that renewable energy credits shall not be double counted by any seller of electricity within the service territory of the WECC. (2) Each renewable energy credit shall be counted only once for compliance with the renewables portfolio standard of this state or any other state, or for verifying retail product claims in this state or any other state. (3) All revenues received by an electrical corporation for the sale of a renewable energy credit shall be credited to the benefit of ratepayers. (4) Renewable energy credits shall not be created for electricity generated pursuant to any electricity purchase contract with a retail seller or a local publicly owned electric utility executed before January 1, 2005, unless the contract contains explicit terms and conditions specifying the ownership or disposition of those credits. Procurement under those contracts shall be tracked through the accounting system described in subdivision (b) of Section 399.25 and included in the quantity of eligible renewable energy resources of the purchasing retail seller pursuant to Section 399.15. (5) Renewable energy credits shall not be created for electricity generated under any electricity purchase contract executed after January 1, 2005, pursuant to the federal Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. Sec. 2601 et seq.). Procurement under the electricity purchase contracts shall be tracked through the accounting system implemented by the Energy Commission pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 399.25 and count toward the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements of the purchasing retail seller. (6) Nothing in the amendments to this article made by the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act of 2015 (Senate Bill 350 of the 2015–16 Regular Session) is intended to change commission Decision 11-12-052 regarding the classification of renewable energy credits from generation on the customer side of the meter. (7) A renewable energy credit shall not be eligible for compliance with a renewables portfolio standard procurement requirement unless it is retired in the tracking system established pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 399.25 by the retail seller or local publicly owned electric utility within 36 months from the initial date of generation of the associated electricity. (b) The commission shall allow an electrical corporation to recover the reasonable costs of purchasing, selling, and administering renewable energy credit contracts in rates.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.22. Section 399.22.

(a) For purposes of this section, “state agency” means any state agency, board, department, or commission, including the entities specified in subdivision (a) of Section 15814.12 of the Government Code. (b) A state agency generating electricity from an electric generation facility, as defined in Section 387.6 or 399.20, that operates under a tariff adopted pursuant to either of those sections, and that is owned by, operated by, or on property under the control of, the state agency shall take the total annual amount of kilowatthours exported to the grid into consideration when determining whether the state agency has achieved the policy goals and objectives established by law for the state agency.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.24. Section 399.24.

(a) To meet the energy and transportation needs of the state, the commission shall adopt policies and programs that promote the in-state production and distribution of biomethane. The policies and programs shall facilitate the development of a variety of sources of in-state biomethane. (b) For the purposes of this section, “biomethane” means biogas that meets the standards adopted pursuant to subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 25421 of the Health and Safety Code for injection into a common carrier pipeline.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.25. Section 399.25.

The Energy Commission shall do all of the following: (a) Certify eligible renewable energy resources that it determines meet the criteria described in subdivision (e) of Section 399.12. (b) Design and implement an accounting system to verify compliance with the renewables portfolio standard by retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities, to ensure that electricity generated by an eligible renewable energy resource is counted only once for the purpose of meeting the renewables portfolio standard of this state or any other state, to certify renewable energy credits produced by eligible renewable energy resources, and to verify retail product claims in this state or any other state. In establishing the guidelines governing this accounting system, the Energy Commission shall collect data from electricity market participants that it deems necessary to verify compliance of retail sellers and local publicly owned electric utilities, in accordance with the requirements of this article and the California Public Records Act (Division 10 (commencing with Section 7920.000) of Title 1 of the Government Code). In seeking data from electrical corporations, the Energy Commission shall request data from the commission. The commission shall collect data from electrical corporations and remit the data to the Energy Commission within 90 days of the request. (c) Establish a system for tracking and verifying renewable energy credits that, through the use of independently audited data, verifies the generation of electricity associated with each renewable energy credit and protects against multiple counting of the same renewable energy credit. The Energy Commission shall consult with other western states and with the WECC in the development of this system. (d) Certify, for purposes of compliance with the renewables portfolio standard requirements by a retail seller, the eligibility of renewable energy credits associated with eligible renewable energy resources procured by a local publicly owned electric utility, if the Energy Commission determines that all of the conditions of Section 399.31 have been met.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.26. Section 399.26.

(a) In order for the state to meet the requirements of the California Renewables Portfolio Standard Program, substantially increased amounts of electricity generated by eligible renewable energy resources must be integrated with, and interconnected to, the transmission grid that is either owned by, or under the operational control of, the local publicly owned electric utilities and the transmission grid that is under the operational control of the Independent System Operator. (b) The Independent System Operator and the balancing authority of each area in California shall do both of the following: (1) Work cooperatively to integrate and interconnect eligible renewable energy resources to the transmission grid by the most efficient means possible with the goal of minimizing the impact and cost of new transmission needed to meet both reliability needs and the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements. (2) Accomplish the requirements of paragraph (1) in a manner that respects the ownership, business, and dispatch models for transmission facilities owned by electrical corporations, local publicly owned electric utilities, joint powers agencies, and independent transmission companies. (c) The Independent System Operator shall seek any approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission that are necessary to accomplish the goals and requirements of this article. (d) In order to maintain electric service reliability and to minimize the construction of fossil fuel electrical generation capacity to support the integration of intermittent renewable electrical generation into the electrical grid, by July 1, 2011, the commission shall determine the effective load carrying capacity of wind and solar energy resources on the California electrical grid. The commission shall use those effective load carrying capacity values in establishing the contribution of wind and solar energy resources toward meeting the resource adequacy requirements established pursuant to Section 380.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.30. Section 399.30.

(a) (1) To fulfill unmet long-term generation resource needs, each local publicly owned electric utility shall adopt and implement a renewable energy resources procurement plan that requires the utility to procure a minimum quantity of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources, including renewable energy credits, as a specified percentage of total kilowatthours sold to the utility’s retail end-use customers, each compliance period, to achieve the targets of subdivision (c). (2) Beginning January 1, 2019, a local publicly owned electric utility subject to Section 9621 shall incorporate the renewable energy resources procurement plan required by this section as part of a broader integrated resource plan developed and adopted pursuant to Section 9621. (b) The governing board shall implement procurement targets for a local publicly owned electric utility that require the utility to procure a minimum quantity of eligible renewable energy resources for each of the following compliance periods: (1) January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive. (2) January 1, 2014, to December 31, 2016, inclusive. (3) January 1, 2017, to December 31, 2020, inclusive. (4) January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2024, inclusive. (5) January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2027, inclusive. (6) January 1, 2028, to December 31, 2030, inclusive. (c) The governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility shall ensure all of the following: (1) The quantities of eligible renewable energy resources to be procured for the compliance period from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2013, inclusive, are equal to an average of 20 percent of retail sales. (2) The quantities of eligible renewable energy resources to be procured for all other compliance periods reflect reasonable progress in each of the intervening years sufficient to ensure that the procurement of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources achieves 25 percent of retail sales by December 31, 2016, 33 percent by December 31, 2020, 44 percent by December 31, 2024, 52 percent by December 31, 2027, and 60 percent by December 31, 2030. The Energy Commission shall establish appropriate multiyear compliance periods for all subsequent years that require the local publicly owned electric utility to procure not less than 60 percent of retail sales of electricity products from eligible renewable energy resources. (3) A local publicly owned electric utility shall adopt procurement requirements consistent with Section 399.16. (4) Beginning January 1, 2014, in calculating the procurement requirements under this article, a local publicly owned electric utility may exclude from its total retail sales the kilowatthours generated by an eligible renewable energy resource that is credited to a participating customer pursuant to a voluntary green pricing or shared renewable generation program. Any exclusion shall be limited to electricity products that do not meet the portfolio content criteria set forth in paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 399.16. Any renewable energy credits associated with electricity credited to a participating customer shall not be used for compliance with procurement requirements under this article, shall be retired on behalf of the participating customer, and shall not be further sold, transferred, or otherwise monetized for any purpose. To the extent possible for generation that is excluded from retail sales under this subdivision, a local publicly owned electric utility shall seek to procure those eligible renewable energy resources that are located in reasonable proximity to program participants. (d) (1) The governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility shall adopt procurement requirements consistent with subparagraph (B) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of, and paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of, Section 399.13. (2) The governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility may adopt the following measures: (A) Conditions that allow for delaying timely compliance consistent with subdivision (b) of Section 399.15. (B) Cost limitations for procurement expenditures consistent with subdivision (c) of Section 399.15. (e) The governing board of the local publicly owned electric utility shall adopt a program for the enforcement of this article. The program shall be adopted at a publicly noticed meeting offering all interested parties an opportunity to comment. Not less than 30 days’ notice shall be given to the public of any meeting held for purposes of adopting the program. Not less than 10 days’ notice shall be given to the public before any meeting is held to make a substantive change to the program. (f) Each local publicly owned electric utility shall annually post notice, in accordance with the Ralph M. Brown Act (Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 54950) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code), whenever its governing body will deliberate in public on its renewable energy resources procurement plan. (g) A public utility district that receives all of its electricity pursuant to a preference right adopted and authorized by the United States Congress pursuant to Section 4 of the Trinity River Division Act of August 12, 1955 (Public Law 84-386), shall be in compliance with the renewable energy procurement requirements of this article. (h) For a local publicly owned electric utility that was in existence on or before January 1, 2009, that provides retail electric service to 15,000 or fewer customer accounts in California, and is interconnected to a balancing authority located outside this state but within the WECC, an eligible renewable energy resource includes a facility that is located outside California that is connected to the WECC transmission system, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The electricity generated by the facility is procured by the local publicly owned electric utility, is delivered to the balancing authority area in which the local publicly owned electric utility is located, and is not used to fulfill renewable energy procurement requirements of other states. (2) The local publicly owned electric utility participates in, and complies with, the accounting system administered by the Energy Commission pursuant to this article. (3) The Energy Commission verifies that the electricity generated by the facility is eligible to meet the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements. (i) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), for a local publicly owned electric utility that is a joint powers authority of districts established pursuant to state law on or before January 1, 2005, that furnishes electric services other than to residential customers, and is formed pursuant to the Irrigation District Law (Division 11 (commencing with Section 20500) of the Water Code), the percentage of total kilowatthours sold to the district’s retail end-use customers, upon which the renewables portfolio standard procurement requirements in subdivision (b) are calculated, shall be based on the authority’s average retail sales over the previous seven years. If the authority has not furnished electric service for seven years, then the calculation shall be based on average retail sales over the number of completed years during which the authority has provided electric service. (j) A local publicly owned electric utility in a city and county that only receives greater than 67 percent of its electricity sources from hydroelectric generation located within the state that it owns and operates, and that does not meet the definition of a “renewable electrical generation facility” pursuant to Section 25741 of the Public Resources Code, shall be required to procure eligible renewable energy resources, including renewable energy credits, to meet only the electricity demands unsatisfied by its hydroelectric generation in any given year, in order to satisfy its renewable energy procurement requirements. (k) (1) For purposes of this subdivision, “large hydroelectric generation” means electricity generated from an existing hydroelectric facility located within the state that does not qualify as an eligible renewable energy resource and, as of January 1, 2018, was owned by a local publicly owned electric utility, the federal government as a part of the federal Central Valley Project, or a joint powers agency formed and created pursuant to the Joint Exercise of Powers Act (Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 6500) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code). (2) If, during a year within a compliance period set forth in subdivision (b), a local publicly owned electric utility receives more than 40 percent of its retail sales from large hydroelectric generation under an ownership agreement or contract in effect as of January 1, 2018, it is not required to procure eligible renewable energy resources that exceed the lesser of the following for that year: (A) The portion of the local publicly owned electric utility’s retail sales unsatisfied by the local publicly owned electric utility’s large hydroelectric generation. (B) The soft target adopted by the Energy Commission for the intervening years of the relevant compliance period. (3) An extension or renewal of a procurement agreement shall not be eligible to count towards the determination that the local publicly owned electric utility receives more than 40 percent of its retail sales from large hydroelectric generation in any year. This paragraph shall not apply to any agreement in effect on January 1, 2015, between a local publicly owned electric utility and the Western Area Power Administration or federal government as part of the federal Central Valley Project. (4) The Energy Commission shall adjust the total quantities of eligible renewable energy resources to be procured by a local publicly owned electric utility for a compliance period to reflect any reductions required pursuant to paragraph (2). (5) This subdivision does not modify the compliance obligation of a local publicly owned electric utility to satisfy the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 399.16. (l) (1) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, “unavoidable long-term contracts and ownership agreements” means commitments for electricity from a coal-fired powerplant, located outside the state, originally entered into by a local publicly owned electric utility before June 1, 2010, that is not subsequently modified to result in an extension of the duration of the agreement or result in an increase in total quantities of energy delivered during any compliance period set forth in subdivision (b). (B) The governing board of a local publicly owned electric utility shall demonstrate in its renewable energy resources procurement plan required pursuant to subdivision (a) that any cancellation or divestment of the commitment would result in significant economic harm to its retail customers that cannot be substantially mitigated through resale, transfer to another entity, early closure of the facility, or other feasible measures. (2) For the compliance period set forth in paragraph (4) of subdivision (b), a local publicly owned electric utility meeting the requirement of subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) may adjust its renewable energy procurement targets to ensure that the procurement of additional electricity from eligible renewable energy resources, in combination with the procurement of electricity from unavoidable long-term contracts and ownership agreements, does not exceed the total retail sales of the local publicly owned electric utility during that compliance period. The local publicly owned electric utility may limit its procurement of eligible renewable energy resources for that compliance period to no less than an average of 33 percent of its retail sales. (3) The Energy Commission shall approve any reductions in procurement targets proposed by a local publicly owned electric utility if it determines that the requirements of this subdivision are satisfied. (m) A local publicly owned electric utility shall retain discretion over both of the following: (1) The mix of eligible renewable energy resources procured by the utility and those additional generation resources procured by the utility for purposes of ensuring resource adequacy and reliability. (2) The reasonable costs incurred by the utility for eligible renewable energy resources owned by the utility. (n) The Energy Commission shall adopt regulations specifying procedures for enforcement of this article. The regulations shall include a public process under which the Energy Commission may issue a notice of violation and correction against a local publicly owned electric utility for failure to comply with this article, and for referral of violations to the State Air Resources Board for penalties pursuant to subdivision (o). (o) (1) Upon a determination by the Energy Commission that a local publicly owned electric utility has failed to comply with this article, the Energy Commission shall refer the failure to comply with this article to the State Air Resources Board, which may impose penalties to enforce this article consistent with Part 6 (commencing with Section 38580) of Division 25.5 of the Health and Safety Code. Any penalties imposed shall be comparable to those adopted by the commission for noncompliance by retail sellers. (2) Any penalties collected by the State Air Resources Board pursuant to this article shall be deposited in the Air Pollution Control Fund and, upon appropriation by the Legislature, shall be expended for reducing emissions of air pollution or greenhouse gases within the same geographic area as the local publicly owned electric utility.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.31. Section 399.31.

A retail seller may procure renewable energy credits associated with deliveries of electricity by an eligible renewable energy resource to a local publicly owned electric utility, for purposes of compliance with the renewables portfolio standard requirements, if both of the following conditions are met: (a) The local publicly owned electric utility has adopted and implemented a renewable energy resources procurement plan that complies with the renewables portfolio standard adopted pursuant to Section 399.30. (b) The local publicly owned electric utility is procuring sufficient eligible renewable energy resources to satisfy the target standard, and will not fail to satisfy the target standard in the event that the renewable energy credit is sold to the retail seller.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.32. Section 399.32.

(a) It is the policy of the state and the intent of the Legislature to encourage electrical generation from eligible renewable energy resources. (b) As used in this section, “electric generation facility” means an electric generation facility located within the service territory of, and developed to sell electricity to, a local publicly owned electric utility, and that meets all of the following criteria: (1) Has an effective capacity of not more than three megawatts. (2) Is interconnected and operates in parallel with the electrical transmission and distribution grid. (3) Is strategically located and interconnected to the electrical transmission and distribution grid in a manner that optimizes the deliverability of electricity generated at the facility to load centers. (4) Is an eligible renewable energy resource pursuant to this article. (c) A local publicly owned electric utility that sells electricity at retail to 75,000 or more customers shall adopt a standard tariff for electricity purchased from an electric generation facility by July 1, 2013. (d) The governing board of the local publicly owned electric utility shall ensure that the tariff adopted pursuant to subdivision (c) reflects the value of every kilowatthour of electricity generated on a time-of-delivery basis, and shall consider avoided costs for distribution and transmission system upgrades, whether the facility generates electricity in a manner that offsets peak demand on the distribution circuit, and all current and anticipated environmental and greenhouse gases reduction compliance costs. The governing board may adjust this value based on the other attributes of renewable generation. The governing board shall ensure, with respect to rates and charges, that ratepayers that do not receive service pursuant to the tariff are indifferent to whether a ratepayer with an electric generation facility receives service pursuant to the tariff. (e) A local publicly owned electric utility that sells electricity at retail to 75,000 or more customers shall make the tariff available to the owner or operator of an electric generation facility within the service territory of the utility, upon request, on a first-come-first-served basis, until the utility meets its proportionate share of a statewide cap of 750 megawatts cumulative rated generation capacity served under this section and Section 399.20. The proportionate share shall be calculated based on the ratio of the utility’s peak demand compared to the total statewide peak demand. (f) The local publicly owned electric utility may make the terms of the tariff available to owners and operators of an electric generation facility in the form of a standard contract. (g) Every kilowatthour of electricity purchased from an electric generation facility shall count toward meeting the local publicly owned electric utility’s renewables portfolio standard annual procurement targets for purposes of Section 399.30. (h) (1) A local publicly owned electric utility may establish performance standards for any electric generation facility that has a capacity greater than one megawatt to ensure that those facilities are constructed, operated, and maintained to generate the expected annual net production of electricity and do not impact system reliability. (2) A local publicly owned electric utility may reduce the three megawatt capacity limitation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) if the utility finds that a reduced capacity limitation is necessary. (i) Within 10 days of receipt of a request for a tariff pursuant to this section from an owner or operator of an electric generation facility, the local publicly owned electric utility that receives the request shall post a copy of the request on its Internet Web site. The information posted on the Internet Web site shall include the name of the city in which the facility is located, but information that is proprietary and confidential, including, but not limited to, address information beyond the name of the city in which the facility is located, shall be redacted. (j) A local publicly owned electric utility may deny a tariff request pursuant to this section if the local publicly owned electric utility makes any of the following findings: (1) The electric generation facility does not meet the requirements of this section. (2) The transmission or distribution grid that would serve as the point of interconnection is inadequate. (3) The electric generation facility does not meet all applicable state and local laws and building standards, and utility interconnection requirements. (4) The aggregate of all electric generating facilities on a distribution circuit would adversely impact utility operation and load restoration efforts of the distribution system. (k) Upon receiving a notice of denial from a local publicly owned electric utility, the owner or operator of the electric generation facility denied a tariff pursuant to this section shall have the right to appeal that decision to the governing board of the local publicly owned electric utility. (l) In order to ensure the safety and reliability of electric generation facilities, the owner of an electric generation facility receiving a tariff pursuant to this section shall provide an inspection and maintenance report to the local publicly owned electric utility at least once every other year. The inspection and maintenance report shall be prepared at the owner’s or operator’s expense by a California-licensed contractor who is not the owner or operator of the electric generation facility. A California-licensed electrician shall perform the inspection of the electrical portion of the generation facility. (m) The contract between the electric generation facility receiving the tariff and the local publicly owned electric utility shall contain provisions that ensure that construction of the electric generating facility complies with all applicable state and local laws and building standards, and utility interconnection requirements. (n) (1) All construction and installation of facilities of the local publicly owned electric utility, including at the point of the output meter or at the transmission or distribution grid, shall only be performed by that local publicly owned electric utility. (2) All interconnection facilities installed on the local publicly owned electric utility’s side of the transfer point for electricity between the local publicly owned electric utility and the electrical conductors of the electric generation facility shall be owned, operated, and maintained only by the local publicly owned electric utility. The ownership, installation, operation, reading, and testing of revenue metering equipment for electric generating facilities shall be performed only by the local publicly owned electric utility.

Cal. Public Utilities Code - PUC § 399.33. Section 399.33.

(a) This section shall only apply to a gas-fired powerplant that is located inside the state, is owned by and serves the electrical demands of a single local publicly owned electric utility, and meets all of the following conditions: (1) The local publicly owned electric utility has outstanding public indebtedness associated with the powerplant, the powerplant was planned and built after January 1, 2000, and the debt was secured before January 1, 2017. (2) Operating the powerplant below a 20-percent capacity factor on an annual average on a yearly basis may result in the loss of employment of a powerplant employee who receives a prevailing wage. (3) The powerplant is subject to and meets the state’s greenhouse gases emission performance standard established by the Energy Commission pursuant to Section 8341. (4) The powerplant is not located in a disadvantaged community. For purposes of this paragraph, “disadvantaged community” means a census tract that, pursuant to Section 39711 of the Health and Safety Code, has received a score on the California Communities Environmental Health Screening 3.0, also known as CalEnviroScreen 3.0, in the 81st to 100th percentile, inclusive. (5) The local publicly owned electric utility can demonstrate with official documentation, such as an adopted city council resolution, to the satisfaction of the Energy Commission, that the powerplant was built in response to the energy crisis of 2000–01. (6) The powerplant has not undergone repowering and is not serving as a peaker powerplant. (b) If the procurement requirements of this article require more than 50 percent of retail sales of electricity to come from eligible renewable energy resources, then a local publicly owned electric utility that is the sole owner of a powerplant that both meets the requirements of subdivision (a) and is operating below 20 percent of its total capacity on an average annual basis during a given compliance period may, based on the utility’s operations, adjust its renewable energy procurement targets by an amount equal to the difference between the actual generation from the powerplant and the amount of generation that the powerplant would have produced if it had operated at 20 percent of its total capacity, if all of the following conditions are met: (1) The local publicly owned electric utility has procured eligible renewable energy resources as required by Section 399.30, as it existed on January 1, 2018. (2) Additional procurement of eligible renewable energy resources or zero-carbon generational resources resulted in the powerplant operating at, or below, a 20-percent capacity factor on an annual average during a compliance period. (3) The local publicly owned electric utility has attempted to mitigate against the reduction of generation to below 20 percent of the powerplant’s total capacity by attempting to sell the powerplant or attempting to sell the generation from the powerplant to the extent it is practicable and does not result in resource shuffling. (c) A local publicly owned electric utility shall notify the Energy Commission by April 1, 2019, of its intent to act pursuant to the authorization granted by this section. (d) The Energy Commission shall review, and either approve or reject, a publicly owned electric utility’s adjustment of its procurement targets pursuant to this section. (e) The Energy Commission may request relevant supporting documentation from a local publicly owned electric utility acting pursuant to this section. (f) This section shall apply only until the end of the calendar year during which the powerplant’s original term of bonded indebtedness expires.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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